It’s a fishing day

Jim Creek (Knik River) fishing conditions · Alaska

Sit it outno coho salmon window clears the bar in 36 hours

Coho salmon is the best bet here today.

Log a trip here
Right now: 33 for coho salmon, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Coho salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 3312 pm
  2. 33
  3. 33
  4. 303 pm
  5. 30
  6. 30
  7. 336 pm
  8. 33
  9. 33
  10. 339 pm
  11. 33
  12. 33
  13. 23Sun
  14. 23
  15. 23
  16. 233 am
  17. 23
  18. 23
  19. 236 am
  20. 23
  21. 23
  22. 239 am
  23. 23
  24. 23
  25. 2312 pm
  26. 23
  27. 23
  28. 233 pm
  29. 23
  30. 23
  31. 336 pm
  32. 33
  33. 33
  34. 339 pm
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Coho salmon range 44–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the east

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:37 pm

Sky
Slight Chance Light Snow

23% chance of rain

Air
32°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alaska non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Coho salmon bite in 44–58° water, best near 53°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Coho salmon is here May–Oct. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Knik Arm flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Under 16", 10 a day. A coho 16" or longer taken out of the water must be kept. Jim Creek: open to species other than king salmon; from August 1 closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and fishing is allowed only 5 a.m.–10 p.m. After keeping a bag limit of salmon here you may not fish salmon waters again that day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Jim Creek drainage

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Sockeye salmon bite in 40–60° water, best near 52°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Sockeye salmon is here Jun–Aug. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Knik Arm flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Under 16", 10 a day. A coho 16" or longer taken out of the water must be kept. Jim Creek: open to species other than king salmon; from August 1 closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and fishing is allowed only 5 a.m.–10 p.m. After keeping a bag limit of salmon here you may not fish salmon waters again that day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Jim Creek drainage

Season here: Jun–Aug. More on sockeye salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.40 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:37 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:44 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 3:00 pm–4:00 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 11:00 pm–1:00 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Emergency orders in effect

Alaska changes limits and seasons in season. These ADF&G orders cover the Mat-Su area and override the limits below where they differ.

From the ADF&G emergency order list, checked daily; the list last changed Nov 5. Read the order itself before you fish.

Fish in the river

Daily Alaska Department of Fish and Game counts at this water, against the last four seasons. Every Alaska count station

  • Jim Creek Coho

    5,665 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 20. A typical 2023–2025 run: 1,392.

    Most fish pass Aug 8 – Aug 29, half by Aug 19.

  • Jim Creek Pink

    1 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Aug 8.

  • Jim Creek Sockeye

    1,335 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 19. A typical 2023–2025 run: 2,121.

    Most fish pass Jul 27 – Aug 19, half by Aug 4.

Counts are fish past the station, not a catch forecast, and are preliminary. Checked daily; the numbers last changed Nov 5.

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A clear Knik River tributary east of Palmer, reached through the Knik River Public Use Area, with sockeye in midsummer and a coho run that draws Mat-Su anglers in August. ADF&G counts both runs.

Salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day combined, only 2 of them coho. From August 1 the creek is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and fishing is allowed only 5 a.m.–10 p.m. After keeping a bag limit of salmon here you may not fish salmon waters again that day.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Jim Creek (Knik River)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Jim Creek (Knik River) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Jim Creek (Knik River)?

Jim Creek (Knik River) is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Jim Creek (Knik River)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Jim Creek (Knik River) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Jim Creek (Knik River) have?

Jim Creek (Knik River) has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day combined, only 2 of them coho. From August 1 the creek is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and fishing is allowed only 5 a.m.–10 p.m. After keeping a bag limit of salmon here you may not fish salmon waters again that day.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Jim Creek (Knik River)?

state agency regulations apply at Jim Creek (Knik River). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Jim Creek (Knik River) tidal water?

No. Jim Creek (Knik River) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.